The overall objective of this project is to determine possible biochemical mechanisms involved in the formation of long-term memory for a passive avoidance task. Specifically, the relative importance of inhibition of brain protein and brain catecholamine synthesis by cycloheximide and anisomycin will be determined to ascertain the mechanisms involved in the memory disruption caused by these drugs. The effects of selective inhibitors of catecholamine synthesis on memory formation, catecholamine synthesis and utilization and brain protein synthesis will be studied in order to correlate possible behavioral and biochemical actions. The ability of various central nervous system stimulants to prevent drug-induced loss of memory and biochemical changes will be studied by measuring their effects on brain protein and catecholamine synthesis as well as memory formation. These drug studies will be carried out in two different strains of mature and senescent mice to determine whether there are important genetic or aging factors involved in the formation of long-term memory.